How much protein is in a chicken breast

1. 01

   The anchor number: ~31 g protein per 100 g cooked

   USDA FoodData Central lists skinless, boneless, roasted chicken breast at ~31 g of protein per 100 g cooked, for ~165 kcal. This is the number to memorize because breasts vary in size while the per-100-g figure holds. To estimate any breast, weigh it cooked and multiply by ~0.31. A food scale removes the guesswork; eyeballing a breast routinely errs by 30-50 g of raw weight, which is 7-11 g of protein.

2. 02

   By breast size: small, medium, large

   Working from ~31 g per 100 g cooked: a small breast (~115 g cooked) is ~36 g protein, a medium (~150 g) is ~46 g, and a large (~200 g) is ~62 g. Retail breasts have grown, so a single supermarket breast is often 200-250 g raw and yields a large cooked portion. If a plan calls for 40 g of protein, a medium breast covers it; do not assume one breast equals one fixed number.

3. 03

   Cooked vs raw: why the numbers differ

   Raw chicken breast is ~23 g protein per 100 g; cooked skinless breast is ~31 g per 100 g. The protein content per breast barely changes on cooking, but the breast loses ~25% of its weight as water, so the same protein sits in less mass, raising the per-100-g figure. This is why USDA cooked-weight entries anchor macro tracking. Weigh cooked whenever possible; if you must weigh raw, use the ~23 g per 100 g raw figure, not the cooked one.

4. 04

   With skin and bone, the number shifts

   Skin adds fat and calories without adding protein, so protein per 100 g falls slightly when skin is on (more of the mass is fat). Bone-in weight includes the bone, so protein per 100 g of total weight is lower still until you separate the meat. For macro tracking, use skinless, boneless cooked meat as the reference and log the skin's fat separately if you eat it. Thighs run lower in protein density (~26 g per 100 g cooked) but higher in fat.

5. 05

   Protein density: why it anchors meal plans

   At ~0.19 g of protein per kcal, chicken breast is among the most protein-dense whole foods, beaten mainly by very lean options like white fish, egg whites, and nonfat dairy. That density is why it dominates cutting and high-protein plans: it delivers a large protein dose for few calories. For comparison, three large eggs give ~18.8 g protein for ~216 kcal (~0.087 g/kcal), so a chicken breast is more than twice as protein-dense per calorie as whole eggs.

6. 06

   Cost context: mid-pack on $/g

   On protein economics, boneless breast sits around $0.022/g of cooked protein at warehouse pricing, cheaper than most retail cuts but not the cheapest complete protein. Whole bone-in chicken (~$0.015/g), eggs (~$0.020/g), and whey concentrate (~$0.013/g) all beat it per gram. Pay the breast premium when fat macros are tight and you want maximum protein per calorie; otherwise thighs or whole chicken cost less. See 12 high-protein foods by cost for the full ranking.

What people ask us next.

Q01

How much protein is in one chicken breast?

It depends on size, which is why the reliable figure is per 100 g cooked: ~31 g of protein per 100 g of skinless, boneless cooked breast (USDA). A small ~115 g cooked breast is ~36 g protein, a medium ~150 g is ~46 g, and a large ~200 g is ~62 g. Weigh the breast cooked and multiply by ~0.31 for an accurate count.

Q02

How much protein in 100g of chicken breast?

About 31 g of protein per 100 g of cooked, skinless, boneless chicken breast, for roughly 165 kcal (USDA FoodData Central). Raw skinless breast is lower at ~23 g per 100 g, because raw meat holds more water; it loses ~25% of its weight on cooking, which concentrates the protein. Always note whether a figure is raw or cooked.

Q03

Is chicken breast protein measured raw or cooked?

Track it cooked. Raw breast is ~23 g protein per 100 g and cooked is ~31 g per 100 g, because ~25% of the raw weight is water that cooks off. USDA cooked-weight entries are the standard for macro tracking. If you can only weigh raw, use the raw figure (~23 g per 100 g); mixing the two is the most common tracking error.

Q04

How much protein in a chicken breast vs eggs?

A medium 150 g cooked chicken breast gives ~46 g protein for ~250 kcal (~0.18 g/kcal). Three large eggs give ~18.8 g protein for ~216 kcal (~0.087 g/kcal). The breast wins decisively on protein per calorie, more than double. Eggs win on cost per unit, micronutrients like choline and B12, and convenience, not on grams of protein per calorie.

Q05

How many chicken breasts do I need for my daily protein?

It depends on your target. For a resistance-training adult, the consensus is 1.6 g/kg/day, so an 80 kg person needs ~128 g/day. A medium cooked breast supplies ~46 g, so that is roughly two to three breasts' worth of protein spread across the day, alongside other sources. Set your exact number with the Macro Calculator and our daily protein guide.

Q06

Does chicken thigh have as much protein as breast?

Slightly less by weight. Cooked skinless thigh is ~26 g protein per 100 g versus ~31 g for breast, and thigh carries more fat and calories, so it is less protein-dense per calorie. Thighs cost less per gram of protein and tolerate overcooking better. Choose breast when maximizing protein per calorie matters; choose thighs for cost, flavor, and forgiveness in cooking.